Laguna musicians mentor fifth graders

-- Mary A. Castillo

Fifth-grade students from Top of the World and El Morro elementary

schools will join with the Laguna Community Concert Band at 6 p.m. on May

6 for a one-hour program of American music conducted by William Nicholls.

Back in March, members of the 4-year-old Community Band voluntarily

went to the schools and worked with small student groups.

Margaux Reckard, who plays the trumpet at El Morro said, “I worked

with Bill Sharp and he helped me improve my tone and play complicated

pieces.”

Enthusiasm has been high among students and their parents, said Carol

Reynolds, who has been coordinating the program.

“This has been quite an experiment,” she said. “The parents have been

incredibly enthusiastic.”

Laura Combs, a piano teacher whose daughter Kameron is in the band,

couldn’t agree more.

“The Community Band has ignited a frail school music program,” she

said. “The kids have gotten more out of a 30-minute session with the band

members than a whole year at school.”

The Community Band hopes to continue the program with next year’s

fifth-grade band students, Reynolds said. They also are hoping to receive

a Community Assistance Grant from the city when it announces the

recipients in June.

“We even recruited new band members,” Reynolds said. “Some of the

parents brought their instruments to rehearsal and want to continue to

play.”